PREVIEW: Educating Greater Manchester, Channel 4

The series that's given viewers years of moving, funny and dramatic insights into modern schooling and life as a teenager returns to the same school as the previous 2017 series - Harrop Fold School in Greater Manchester.

The series offers a real but warm snapshot of life in a British school. There is also a catch-up with some of the much-loved pupils from the previous series: cheeky Vincent, who's now going into Year 10 and claims he's a reformed character; and Katelyn, who struggled to focus last time but now wants to get her head down. The series also explore the ups and downs through the eyes of some of the teachers.

In the first episode, filmed before Covid, the school's Year 7s already have a reputation among staff for being the naughtiest yet. There's Jacob who opens up about his struggles with dyslexia. 

The school is on high alert after a member of the public calls in claiming to have seen a Harrop Fold pupil with a knife, forcing Mr Povey and his staff to instigate bag searches to find the culprit. Year 9 Katelyn is desperate to become a midwife but keeps bunking off lessons. Mr Povey worries that if she doesn't knuckle down she will end up missing out on her dream. And the staff crack down on pupils at the centre of a lucrative black market at the school, selling chocolate sweets and drinks to their classmates.

Educating Greater Manchester airs Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th November on Channel 4.